George Smith — Founder, Klickify Agency
You're organizing a community festival. You need QR codes for ticket sales, event schedules, volunteer check-in, and sponsor links. You look at event QR code providers. They want $29 per month for "event packages." $59 for "premium." $199 for "enterprise." Your festival has no budget for software – every dollar goes to porta-potties and sound systems.
I built Truly Free QR for exactly this situation. Events have temporary needs but permanent costs. You don't need a subscription. You need a few QR codes that work for a weekend and then you never use them again. Or you need codes that you can update as the event schedule changes.
Truly Free QR gives you unlimited dynamic QR codes for free. Create a code for ticket sales. Another for the schedule. Another for the map. Update them as details change. No subscription. No expiration. Here's how to run your event's QR infrastructure for zero dollars.
Event QR Code Use Cases (And Why Dynamic Is Essential)
Let me walk through the most common event QR code needs and why dynamic codes are critical.
Ticket sales
Print a QR code on flyers that links to your ticket page. If the early bird tickets sell out, update the destination to point to general admission. If the event sells out, point to a waiting list. Your flyers don't need reprinting.
Event schedule
Create a QR code that links to a Google Doc with the schedule. As speakers change or times shift, update the Google Doc. The QR code stays the same. Attendees always see the latest version.
Volunteer check-in
Print a QR code at the volunteer tent. Volunteers scan to check in, which logs their arrival time. You can link to a simple form (Google Forms) that records their name and time. After the event, you have attendance data.
Sponsor landing pages
Each sponsor gets a QR code on their booth that links to a special offer page. After the event, you can change the destination to a "thank you" page with photos from the day. Sponsors appreciate the ongoing value.
WiFi access
Create a QR code that encodes your WiFi network name and password. Guests scan and connect instantly. No more typing long passwords.
Feedback surveys
After the event, change your main QR codes to point to a feedback survey. People who scanned earlier (for tickets or schedules) might scan again. This gives you valuable post-event data.
Most event QR providers charge per code or per month. They know events are temporary, so they try to extract as much as possible before you leave. Truly Free QR doesn't trap you. Use us for one weekend or one year – same price (free).
Step-by-Step: Set Up QR Codes for Your Event
Here's how to create all the QR codes you need for a successful event.
1. Go to trulyfreeqr.com
No account. No email. Just the generator. I recommend using a desktop computer so you can manage multiple codes.
2. Create a master spreadsheet
Before generating, list every QR code you need: "Ticket sales," "Schedule," "Map," "Volunteer check-in," "Sponsor A," "Sponsor B," "WiFi," "Feedback." Next to each, write the initial destination URL. This keeps you organized.
3. Generate each QR code as dynamic
For each row in your spreadsheet, paste the URL, select "Dynamic," customize colors if desired (use your event's brand colors), and generate. Download each code as SVG. Name the files clearly: "ticket-sales.svg", "schedule.svg", etc.
4. Save every edit link in your spreadsheet
After each generation, copy the edit link. Paste it into your spreadsheet next to the QR code name. This is your master key. If you lose these links, you cannot update the destinations. For events, this is critical – schedules change last-minute.
5. Test all codes before printing
Print a test page with all your QR codes. Scan each one with your phone. Make sure they go to the right place. Test on both iPhone and Android if possible. If any fail, regenerate.
6. Print your materials
Send the SVG files to your printer. For large banners, make the QR code at least 4 inches. For flyers, 1 inch is fine. For table tents, 2 inches. Ensure high contrast (dark code on light background).
7. Set up a command center
On the day of the event, have a laptop or tablet with your spreadsheet open. If something changes (e.g., a workshop is moved), use the edit link to update the destination immediately. The change is instant – anyone scanning after that moment sees the new info.
8. After the event, repurpose your codes
Don't delete them. Change the destinations to "Thank you for attending – see photos here" or a feedback survey. Keep the codes alive. You might reuse the same physical signs next year – just update the destinations.
Why Truly Free QR Never Expires (And How We Pay for It)
Events are temporary, but your QR codes don't have to be. With Truly Free QR, your codes stay active forever. Even if your event ends, you can keep the codes as a portfolio of past events. Link them to photo galleries or recaps. That's not possible with providers that expire codes after 14 days.
My business model (AdSense) works because event organizers create many codes. More codes = more dashboard visits = more ad views. I don't need to charge you. I just need you to use the tool. It's a virtuous cycle: you get free codes, I get ad revenue. No one holds anyone hostage.
Safe-Scan protects your attendees. Before redirecting, I check the destination against Google Safe Browsing. If your schedule Google Doc gets hacked (unlikely, but possible), Safe-Scan will warn scanners. For events with thousands of attendees, that's a valuable safety net. No other free QR tool offers this.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Truly Free QR for paid ticketing with a payment link?
Yes. Point your QR code to your ticketing page (Eventbrite, Ticketleap, or your own checkout). When tickets sell out, use the edit link to point to a waiting list or a "sold out" message. The printed QR code still works.
How do I handle check-in at the door with QR codes?
Create a dynamic QR code that links to a Google Form. Volunteers scan the code, which opens the form. They enter the attendee's name or scan their ticket barcode. The form data goes to a spreadsheet. For higher volume, use a dedicated check-in app – but for small events, this works fine.
What if I lose the edit link for my event schedule?
You cannot edit the destination without the link. The code still works with the original URL. To prevent loss, store edit links in a shared cloud document (Google Sheets, Notion) accessible to your event team. Also, email the links to yourself. For critical events, print the edit links on paper and keep them in a safe place.
How does Truly Free QR compare to event-specific QR providers like Ticket QR?
Ticket QR charges $29 per month. They offer features like QR code scanning at the door, ticket validation, and attendee tracking. Truly Free QR is just a code generator – we don't handle ticket validation. For simple events (under 500 people), you can combine our QR codes with free Google Forms for check-in. For larger events, you might need a paid solution.
Can I create a QR code that changes based on time of day?
Not directly. Dynamic QR codes have a single destination at any moment. You can manually change it as the event progresses. If you need automatic time-based redirects, you would need a custom script on your own server. That's beyond my tool's scope.
Is there a limit to how many QR codes I can create for my event?
No. Create as many as you need – one per session, per speaker, per sponsor. There's no limit. The only limit is your patience in generating them one by one (bulk creation coming soon).
The only truly free QR code generator
Unlimited dynamic QR codes. No account. No expiration. No subscription. Ever.
Monetized by advertising, not by locking your printed materials behind a paywall.
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